


missing you starts here

by plovers



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: (but also yes), (but not really), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Love Confessions, Love Letters, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29787366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plovers/pseuds/plovers
Summary: Later, she takes the box of gifts back to her room, tacks all the glossy photos onto her wall. Pushpins press gently into her thumb, and when she’s done, she steps back and admires the mini gallery she has slowly made over the years.Nowadays, it feels like Shigeru sends her photos like these on purpose. To make her leave, to make her travel again.Maybe she’ll do just that.Love letters to her, through a few of the things she loves. Set during the Diamond and Pearl series.
Relationships: Kasumi | Misty & Ookido Shigeru | Gary Oak, Kasumi | Misty/Ookido Shigeru | Gary Oak
Kudos: 3





	missing you starts here

**Author's Note:**

> alternative title: the egoshipping fic i'd never thought i'd write but here we are, second season of 2020
> 
> The reason I use the Japanese names for pretty much everything here is because Sinnoh is supposed to be in Hokkaido. Using their Japanese names keeps it closer to where they're from. I suggest you look at the key when you need to; it's quite long so don't bother memorization.
> 
> key (long, apologies):  
> \- Kasumi = Misty  
> \- Ookido Shigeru = Gary Oak  
> \- Nanakamado-hakase = Professor Rowan  
> \- Masago Town = Sandgem Town  
> \- Satoshi = Ash  
> \- Floazel = Floatzel  
> \- Takeshi = Brock  
> \- Hikari = Dawn  
> \- Kouki = Lucas  
> \- Kenji = Tracey  
> \- Nanami = Daisy Oak (listen I'll include her)  
> \- Kannagi Town = Celestic Town  
> \- Mt. Tengan = Mt. Coronet  
> \- Masara Town = Pallet Town  
> \- Karashina-hakase = Professor Carolina  
> \- Nomose City = Pastoria City  
> \- Megayanma = Yanmega  
> \- Risshi Lake = Lake Valor  
> \- Mikuri Cup = Wallace Cup  
> \- Haruka = May  
> \- Agnome = Azelf  
> \- Hanada = Cerulean  
> \- Gurregru = Croagunk  
> \- Buoysel = Buizel  
> \- Hayashigame = Grotle  
> \- Naetle = Turtwig  
> \- Jun = Barry  
> \- Futaba Town = Twinleaf Town  
> \- Shinji Lake = Lake Verity  
> \- Dodaitose = Torterra  
> \- Elekible = Electivire  
> \- Kissaki City = Snowpoint City  
> \- Eichi Lake = Lake Acuity  
> \- Steel Island = Iron Island  
> \- Karanakushi = Shellos  
> \- Nagisa City = Sunyshore City  
> \- Mitsuhoney = Combee  
> \- Kamex = Blastoise

_“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn’t it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up.”_

_~Neil Gaiman, “The Kindly Ones”_

⭒⭒⭒

**_beaches_ **

Kasumi,

I went to Sinnoh, though I’m sure you’ve heard by now. Working as Nanakamado-hakase’s assistant. Have you ever been to Masago Town?...I don’t think you have, even though you left Kanto for so long and went to Johto for a year—with Satoshi. I remember you even came home from the Hoenn region after some event. You’ve been to a lot of places, more than I’ve been, and I have to travel more now. The laboratory is making me, and even then I’d do it out of choice.

I like traveling a lot; all the scenery in Sinnoh, the bitter cold mountain ranges and the plush gardens hidden from even the frostiest of places. I’ve met tons of new water Pokemon—you’d like Floazel a lot. It’s a lifeguard Pokemon, did you ever read that in the book I sent? Beautiful collar, too! One of my colleagues introduced me to their Floazel and she was so friendly! Let me pet her, observe her skills in the water; we took a nice little stroll to the pond in the lab’s yard. She liked me, and she’d like you, too.

I’m sure Satoshi talks to you all the time when he reaches new places (you’re his best friend, he never gets tired of talking about you), but I met him while helping some Shieldon, and Takeshi and this other girl were with him. Uh...Hikari. She had a Pochama with her, little water penguin starter. Maybe not your type, but you like all water Pokemon, so….

Oh! I forgot to tell you when we called. There’s a beach in Masago, a little ways away from one of my colleagues’ house. He’s the same age as me, actually, and he took me there to study some Pokemon before going to the Pal Park. Kouki—the colleague—said there was something in the water and sand. Some kind of property, and it made the water Pokemon stronger. Tons of research and tests have been done, but we haven’t been conclusive. We both study at the local school in our time, so we plan on doing our project on this special property. Maybe it’s embedded with a strain of the Pokerus that specifically targets water Pokemon. Maybe it’s another Pokemon. It could even be an object!

It’ll take months, and I’m sorry. I probably won’t be home for the next year or so. You’re welcome to visit, and I’ll send you letters and other stuff! Kouki and I will probably be traveling around the region to get more information and work with the other professors, so I won’t be free to call often. I’ll do my best to keep you posted. Say hi to Kenji and my grandfather for me. Nanami and Satoshi’s mom, too!

~Ookido Shigeru

In the box, there are Pokemon toys, different brands of food from the lab, and a small necklace with a tiny messenger bottle, filled to the top with Masago Beach sand and sealed with a cork. She smiles and puts it on, clasping the ends with a final click.

⭒⭒⭒

**_travel_ **

Kasumi,

Can't believe you sent me a necklace like this. It's really pretty. Too pretty. Kouki said it's too pretty to wear when we're constantly getting roughed up and all dirty in the wild areas, but I still wear it. Just gotta polish it every day! Buff and shine, y’know?

Anyway, you remember how the old camera broke. Dropped it while sitting in that tree….well, I got a new one! Nanakamado-hakase decided to buy us new, state-of-the-art cameras! I’m sure they were expensive, but they’ll be super good for what we’re doing! I’ve already taken a few pictures; you’ve probably seen them on my Monstagram. Everything there...the lakes, the hills….you would love it here. Come visit once you’re free.

Kouki knows the region like the back of his hand, so he’s been the one dealing with the mapping. We stayed in Kannagi Town and went to the ruins. It’s an old, rustic town, close to Mt. Tengan. There’s a laboratory there, but everything else feels almost quaint. Kind of reminds me of home, of Masara Town. It’s quiet here with few people, but they’ve all been very nice and have guided us to other places. Talked to us about nature, and the old Sinnoh legends and myths that are constantly being investigated. We even met Karashina-hakase—the Champion’s grandmother and an esteemed professor! She directed us to the ruins and let us take samples!

We’ve gone to so many places! Nomose City has the Great Marsh and there are all sorts of Pokemon! Kouki got friendly with a Megayanma and took it with him. We also went to the beach there and just kind of ran around. There was also a contest at Risshi Lake, the Mikuri Cup! Hikari won, although I think Satoshi probably told you already. Haruka—from Hoenn—also competed. Kouki and I didn’t get there until later, but we watched it on television. I think he was more interested in Agnome and the legend of the Lake Trio…

Next, we plan on going to Futaba Town to study Shinji Lake and Emrit. Kouki’s excited to go through Masago Town along the way and visit his sister. He keeps buying souvenirs even though he’s lived in Sinnoh his whole life…

I hope you’re doing well with the Hanada Gym. I’ve been hearing a couple stories about it. Kouki says hi and he hopes to meet you soon. I’ll call when I get the chance.

~Shigeru

In the second box, Kasumi takes out multiple things: a little wooden Gurregru statue—”from Nomose City! You should be grateful that I sent this”, the plain, white sticky note has scrawled on it—with a little placard that talked about the Gurregru Festival, a box of poffins for her Pokemon, Sinnoh snacks for her (all for her, no one else, because no one else is allowed to have them). She chuckles at that. She grabs a little Buoysel keychain sitting at the bottom, twists it in her hand and watches the light reflect in a pretty, iridescent rainbow. She sets it down.

There are five pictures in there, all shiny and laminated for her. Each one a note signed on the back, like a greeting from a vacation, or a dear memory she holds close.

Picture 1: Sunset at the beach. The water is not blue here, but rather a brilliant orange, sunlight scattered across each atom and tinting the sand. A boy—likely Kouki—hidden in shadows, only things visible being his feet in the sand and a bright smile, illuminated in red-gold. His toes dig in the sand. There’s a Pokemon next to him, likely one of the Sinnoh starters.

On the back: **Masago Town beach! Kouki and Hayashigame—Naetle’s evolved form—are having fun. The day before we left.**

_So that’s Kouki..._ she thinks to herself.

Picture 2: Inside the lab. Multiple people running around with paperwork in the background. Little Pokemon jumping around. One of the employees taking out food and pouring it into bowls. In the foreground, Shigeru and someone with white hair in lab coats, discussing something. Shigeru is frowning.

On the back: **Kouki took this picture. I was discussing the planning behind this project to Nanakamado-hakase so that he could send us. He wanted to make sure we were prepared… :(**

She giggles under her hand. _Oh, Shigeru._

Picture 3: A shrine in the middle of a grassy area. Two things embedded behind it, at its side—they look like Pokemon, in all their blurry glory. Kouki on one side of the shrine, Shigeru on the other. Kouki smiles gently, kneeling and resting both his hands. Shigeru flashes his own cocky smile, eyebrows furrowed, signature peace sign up. Their Pokemon are all there, big and small, smiling and having fun.

On the back: **Kannagi Town! Karashina-hakase offered to take the photo. See those Pokemon in the back? They’re Dialga and Palkia, two of the legendary Pokemon here and the controllers of time and space. You’d like Palkia; it’s a Dragon-Water type.**

Her thoughts stop when she looks at the picture again. He’s wearing the necklace she gave him, bright purple against his black shirt. Kasumi’s neck heats up and she’s sure her face is incredibly red; with a huff, she takes out the fourth picture.

Picture 4: Somewhere with trees. Shigeru’s back faces the camera, instead. He’s holding hands with a Pokemon (her mind goes back to the Floazel he mentioned) and looking down at her, grinning. He looks like he’s in the middle of talking to her, maybe praising her. Floazel looks up at him.

On the back: **Kouki took this while I wasn’t looking. He took a bunch. This one came out nice.**

Picture 5: A glittery lake in bright daylight. Cornflower blue, hues of green subtly visible in all of it. Blue, blue water, blue, cloudless sky. Houses in the background, the blur of a railing very close to the front. A beautiful day, captured by the fast-fluttering lens of a camera. Something movie-like, something perfect.

On the back: **Risshi Lake. You’d love it here.**

_Maybe we’ll visit it together._

Later, she takes the box of gifts back to her room, tacks all the glossy photos onto her wall. Pushpins press gently into her thumb, and when she’s done, she steps back and admires the mini gallery she has slowly made over the years.

Nowadays, it feels like Shigeru sends her photos like these on purpose. To make her leave, to make her travel again.

Maybe she’ll do just that.

⭒⭒⭒

**_battles_ **

Dear Kasumi, 

I know we called recently, but I feel like it’s time again. It’s nice sending letters like this, right? Makes it feel a little more fun, like a game. Kouki tries to steal the pen from me when I write though….Anyway, I forgot to tell you about our visit to Futaba Town. Apparently, that’s where Hikari’s from, and Kouki talked about some childhood friend that’s on a journey now—Jun, I think was his name? We met Hikari’s mom while walking to Shinji Lake and she told us briefly about the spirit of Emrit, another one of the Lake Trio. Nanakamado-hakase told us it was the Being of Emotion. Shinji Lake had this little pink glow at the center. I couldn’t really see it, but Kouki knew about it from seeing it all the time before.

Oh, I haven’t battled in so long! Kouki offered to battle me since we were taking a rest stop. His Hayashigame evolved into a Dodaitose, beat my Elekible. It was fun though! I didn’t think I’d get to do much of it now that I’m a research assistant, but at least there’s someone to challenge me.

We have to go to Kissaki City in the north, check out the temple where Regigigas stays, and stay at Eichi Lake. I think there’s something going on. Did I tell you about Steel Island, and the stone and the Pokemon that were affected? Team Galactic was doing something to them...we’re not sure _what_ they’re doing, but they might be doing something with the Lake Pokemon. With Dialga and Palkia.

Sorry this letter is so short. I’m writing this right before we have to leave. By the time you get this, we might already be in Kissaki.

See ya later.

~Shigeru

There’s no box this time. Just another letter with a sea glass green charm at the end of a silver bracelet, shaped like the figure of an East Sea Karanakushi. She puts it on immediately, watches it dangle when she holds her hand above her head, to the yellow light of her lamp.

⭒⭒⭒

**_beauty_ **

Kasumi,

I’ve met a lot of people, good and bad. I miss you. It’s not easy going into an unknown region like Sinnoh and trying to make a name for yourself, especially when your grandfather is _Ookido._ At least Satoshi and Takeshi are here—when we meet, they always talk about you.

I didn’t tell you, but you probably saw the news. Sinnoh nearly collapsing, Mt. Tengan crumbling, the space-time rift tearing apart at the seams. All this and all that. We nearly lost them. Nearly lost everything.

Satoshi, Takeshi, and Hikari were at the center of it.

But! Anyway, Kouki went to Shinji Lake to keep track of Emrit; I was assigned to Risshi Lake to help Agnome. I saw it in person for the first time...the sketch books and computer databases don’t do it justice. Little twin tails, all blue. So small and yet so powerful. There are a lot of beautiful things in Sinnoh. Beautiful Pokemon, beautiful scenes, beautiful people. (I’m the most beautiful here, but you already knew that! :) )

Kouki and I are taking an extended break. Almost a vacation. We weren’t supposed to, but then everything with Team Galactic, with the legendary Pokemon...everyone’s kind of taking some time off to recuperate. A lot of the gear also got screwed over, so we have to fix that. We’re staying in Nagisa City. Everything here is solar-powered and it’s so cool! Kouki took me to all the best spots. A lot of electric Pokemon everywhere; took out Elekible and we just went around. Window shopping and stuff. There are a lot of beauty products here. I got a few things.

Again, this letter isn’t as long as I’d like it to be, but since I’m not doing anything, I’ll call you when you want me to. By the time you get this letter, I may already have called you multiple times.

Well, until we meet again! I’ll be done soon. I’ll come home soon. A few more months. We can keep writing to each other! I'll make sure to bring Kamex, too. I think he misses you.

~Shigeru

Kasumi already knows there are multitudes of beauty products in this box. Shigeru always splurges a little too much when it comes to beauty products. Or skin products in general.

  * Mitsuhoney bar soap
  * Nagisa seaweed face cream
  * Nomose mud masks
  * Lotion, hand creams
  * Sea salt exfoliant



She puts the box next to her chair, sits down, and takes out a pen and piece of paper.

‘Shigeru,’

‘You splurge too much sometimes. ~~I miss you.~~ ’

She did see the smudged pen marks at the end, where the paper crinkled too much, after all.

⭒⭒⭒

~~**_i love you_ ** ~~

Kasumi,

I’ll be visiting soon. Bringing Kouki with me, and apparently Jun, too! Jun is one of Satoshi’s rivals.

I’m coming home. Even if it’s for a bit. I’ll be home.

Love,

Shigeru

Kasumi twists the letter between her hands, finds a heart-shaped sticker where the cherry red wax used to be, formerly sealing the letter.

Someone rings the door to her gym. She slams the letter down on her desk and sprints to the front, almost stumbling down the steps while she grabs one of her pokeballs. _It’s probably a challenger,_ she tells herself, trying not to get her hopes up despite how her face heats up.

She catches her breath a bit before opening the door, not bothering to see who it is. “Sorry, the Hanada Gym is closed right now—”

“Even for me?”

Her breath catches in her throat. It’s him. He’s actually home. Purple necklace and all. Horribly backlit by the sun, but here.

“Shigeru…” He flashes his signature grin at her and opens his arms. She smiles and laughs and giggles before hugging him, clapping his back. “Welcome home,” she whispers into the crook of his neck. The pendant presses into her a little, but it’s okay. It’s okay.

“Yeah...I’m home.”

He’s home, now.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/glitchedbirds)   
>  [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.me/plovers)


End file.
